en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2397282 Comments by sr718 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment145017591 I always knew the importance having ‘connections’ was in society, however, I never realized there was a term for it. After Sam described nepotism as the situation whereby a person in power gives a job to their friends or family over others who may be more qualified, all I could think was how often I have heard or seen this happen. Although, and I am sure most people agree, it is not fair and just it is unavoidable and very prominent in society. In my opinion everyone has or will benefit from nepotism at some point in their lives, and it is hard not to resist. Of course, we all hate to be the more qualified person but as human beings we do anything to get ahead and what we want or need. Therefore, although I hate to admit it, I doubt I would pass such an opportunity. It is all about networking, getting a job, and if I needed it I would not be able to refuse it. I certainly have taken advantage of this recently. I needed a job for the summer, with limited options on location and type, I eventually asked my aunt if she could hire me to work in her doctor’s office. Clearly, being a freshman I have no qualifications or experience. Furthermore, I have no desire to pursue a medical career. I do feel guilty about taking advantage of this opportunity, but for the certain circumstances including the fact I do not have a drivers license and that I live in Europe, staying and working with my aunt would be the ideal option. This opportunity though is not a big or particularly important one; therefore I do not feel as though I am hindering anyone else. Also considering that they do not seek extra workers. Similarly, I have experienced the other side of this situation whereby the person was granted the opportunity although she was younger and not as qualified, simply because her mother was the boss. It is something everyone needs to come to terms with because it will not disappear. Just think if it were you as the employer and you knew someone in your family was struggling and needed a job, I am sure you would do the same thing. For many people the family is the most important thing and always should support each other. Furthermore, I found Sam’s comment that we always consider ourselves more ‘worthy’ and ‘deserving’ than other very true. I had not thought about it before, and once he presented the idea I could not help but smirk. We always consider and are aware of everything we experience as an individual especially the hard times and the amount of work we put in. But, we cannot assume we are more deserving especially considering the lack of knowledge for other applicants. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:34:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/12/do-you-think-you-would-actively-try-to-not-benefit-from-nepotism-if-the-situation-presented-itself-119-blog/#IDComment145017591 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment142945392 I thought this was a very interesting class and a new approach that helped stimulate thought. When Sam asked us to put ourselves in the shoes of the Middle Easterners, I was curious to see what his intentions were. I thought it was a great and necessary idea to help see the point of views of the other side and where they are coming from. We often fall into the trap of being closed-minded and always believing whatever we are told by the media and our own people. We fail to try and understand the opponent and what is provoking them. It was funny because it turns out; they really are just like us. The experience similar fears, feel threatened and are only exposed to certain media. I never realized how Christians were portrayed to them, and after the class I realized why they would feel and perceive us the way they do. Although again, it is generalizations and not all Americans are like what they see or are shown, it is no surprise they react the way they do. Certainly, I felt empathetic especially after witnessing the video of the soldiers destroying the taxi car. That was truly upsetting and made me very angry to see. This class made Americans seem very egocentric and oil possessed. Furthermore, when Sam kept highlighting that the Americans were trying to dictate what to do with “my” oil etc I could see why this would infuriate many locals. It is sad though what propaganda and media can do simply to ensure the support of the nation and to make themselves seem the ‘hero’ and not the ‘wrong-doer’. But, I cannot help but put some blame onto the nation, we are all aware of what the media can do and although it is hard to find other sources and the truth, we should not always believe everything we are told. It is distressing what these assumptions and generalizations have led to in society such as in airports, or a general outlook on muslims or anyone from the middle east. I am sure there are many people there who do not even support what is happening. I feel like the recent build of the community center in New York exemplifies this. Although I understand the threat and the sensitivity, the religion and people will never disappear and we need to learn to live in coexistence with one another. Also, I know see why they view the Christians as the enemy after viewing the images of the bible and the inscriptions that the soldiers had. However, I feel as though they should understand that that is just their faith and I am sure their soldiers also uphold their religion in combat too. But it did help to see where the idea of ‘Christian invaders’ came from. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:25:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment142945392 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment142808918 I thought this was a very interesting class and a new approach that helped stimulate thought. When Sam asked us to put ourselves in the shoes of the Middle Easterners, I was curious to see what his intentions were. I thought it was a great and necessary idea to help see the point of views of the other side and where they are coming from. We often fall into the trap of being closed-minded and always believing whatever we are told by the media and our own people. We fail to try and understand the opponent and what is provoking them. It was funny because it turns out; they really are just like us. The experience similar fears, feel threatened and are only exposed to certain media. I never realized how Christians were portrayed to them, and after the class I realized why they would feel and perceive us the way they do. Although again, it is generalizations and not all Americans are like what they see or are shown, it is no surprise they react the way they do. Certainly, I felt empathetic especially after witnessing the video of the soldiers destroying the taxi car. That was truly upsetting and made me very angry to see. This class made Americans seem very egocentric and oil possessed. Furthermore, when Sam kept highlighting that the Americans were trying to dictate what to do with “my” oil etc I could see why this would infuriate many locals. It is sad though what propaganda and media can do simply to ensure the support of the nation and to make themselves seem the ‘hero’ and not the ‘wrong-doer’. But, I cannot help but put some blame onto the nation, we are all aware of what the media can do and although it is hard to find other sources and the truth, we should not always believe everything we are told. It is distressing what these assumptions and generalizations have led to in society such as in airports, or a general outlook on muslims or anyone from the middle east. I am sure there are many people there who do not even support what is happening. I feel like the recent build of the community center in New York exemplifies this. Although I understand the threat and the sensitivity, the religion and people will never disappear and we need to learn to live in coexistence with one another. Also, I know see why they view the Christians as the enemy after viewing the images of the bible and the inscriptions that the soldiers had. However, I feel as though they should understand that that is just their faith and I am sure their soldiers also uphold their religion in combat too. But it did help to see where the idea of ‘Christian invaders’ came from. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:26:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/05/did-putting-yourself-in-the-shoes-of-the-middle-easterners-change-your-views-on-the-war-in-iraq-119-blog/#IDComment142808918 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment141243801 There is a lot more to girls dressing up than to simply impress guys. Well for me anyway, it is not necessarily true of all women. I chose to answer this because I do care a lot about how I look and what I wear when I go out. One reason I dress up is not actually just for guy attention but for girls too. It is funny but lots of the times, girls dress up for girls. Girls are very harsh critics of each other, and appearance and fashion is one of the main sources they ‘compete’. Whether it is the need to be accepted into a certain group of people, or just generally, or even if it is to prove you are prettier or just as pretty as someone else. Yes, this may seem petty, but confidence and acceptance is a big thing for girls. Clothes and make up is a simple way they can try to boost their self esteem and likewise it is unfortunately used to shatter someone else’s. For me, believe it or not but one factor is simply for my own self and liking. I am not going to lie and say it is not for guys or not for girls, but it is significantly also for myself. I do feel good when I wear a nice dress, or a skirt and put on a pair of heels. I feel special because its not something I do often and it is fun. In terms of heels, I am a short girl so most people probably think I do it to appear taller. In fact, I simply have a shoe addiction. I love shoes and if I could I would wear them around school more often (if I would not get judged) because I just like the way they are. Nevertheless, I agree with Sam that lots of girls wear them because they think it makes their legs look nicer, or taller, or more attractive. In my opinion, those are not reasons you should wear them. Especially if you cannot walk in them and you do not even like them as they hurt too much. It is also interesting how culture plays a part. A lot of girls here do not tend to wear skirts or dresses unless they are going to a party. This is not the same in Europe, girls and women wear them everyday and night time as well. It just depends on how and what you wear it with. So, what some girls here wear to ‘dress up’ you may see people in Europe wearing during the day. This seems to show that for some cultures fashion is more about taste, or that some feel the need to ‘dress up’ and make an effort on more occasions. You could interpret this in various ways. For lots of girls it is a habit and norm now, like for me putting on makeup or a skirt does not necessarily feel like dressing up. This is because I feel like I need to do it anyways for myself and to feel comfortable. But this should not be the case to a certain extent. Lots of girls do find it frustrating sometimes if they spend a long time to get ready when all a guy does is shower and change tops; especially if there is no acknowledgement. I do wonder though apart from maybe a nice top, there is not much of a variety for guys and not much they can actually do or wear in comparison to women. Then again, they are not being asked to get dressed. In today’s society though, if a girl went out one night not dressed up, guys and girls would stare and judge because it has become such a cultural norm now. You can sometimes tell when a girl is dressing up for herself or someone else. Similarly, everyone recognizes you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. Does this impact the way we all try to portray ourselves when we get dressed? How many people actually dress for themselves? But more importantly, why do we all care so much about what people think? This is something though that will probably never change. In my opinion everyone should dress how they want, if it makes them feel good, or because it is comfortable. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 13:04:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment141243801 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140997461 There is a lot more to girls dressing up than to simply impress guys. Well for me anyway, it is not necessarily true of all women. I chose to answer this because I do care a lot about how I look and what I wear when I go out. One reason I dress up is not actually just for guy attention but for girls too. It is funny but lots of the times, girls dress up for girls. Girls are very harsh critics of each other, and appearance and fashion is one of the main sources they ‘compete’. Whether it is the need to be accepted into a certain group of people, or just generally, or even if it is to prove you are prettier or just as pretty as someone else. Yes, this may seem petty, but confidence and acceptance is a big thing for girls. Clothes and make up is a simple way they can try to boost their self esteem and likewise it is unfortunately used to shatter someone else’s. For me, believe it or not but one factor is simply for my own self and liking. I am not going to lie and say it is not for guys or not for girls, but it is significantly also for myself. I do feel good when I wear a nice dress, or a skirt and put on a pair of heels. I feel special because its not something I do often and it is fun. In terms of heels, I am a short girl so most people probably think I do it to appear taller. In fact, I simply have a shoe addiction. I love shoes and if I could I would wear them around school more often (if I would not get judged) because I just like the way they are. Nevertheless, I agree with Sam that lots of girls wear them because they think it makes their legs look nicer, or taller, or more attractive. In my opinion, those are not reasons you should wear them. Especially if you cannot walk in them and you do not even like them as they hurt too much. It is also interesting how culture plays a part. A lot of girls here do not tend to wear skirts or dresses unless they are going to a party. This is not the same in Europe, girls and women wear them everyday and night time as well. It just depends on how and what you wear it with. So, what some girls here wear to ‘dress up’ you may see people in Europe wearing during the day. This seems to show that for some cultures fashion is more about taste, or that some feel the need to ‘dress up’ and make an effort on more occasions. You could interpret this in various ways. For lots of girls it is a habit and norm now, like for me putting on makeup or a skirt does not necessarily feel like dressing up. This is because I feel like I need to do it anyways for myself and to feel comfortable. But this should not be the case to a certain extent. Lots of girls do find it frustrating sometimes if they spend a long time to get ready when all a guy does is shower and change tops; especially if there is no acknowledgement. I do wonder though apart from maybe a nice top, there is not much of a variety for guys and not much they can actually do or wear in comparison to women. Then again, they are not being asked to get dressed. In today’s society though, if a girl went out one night not dressed up, guys and girls would stare and judge because it has become such a cultural norm now. You can sometimes tell when a girl is dressing up for herself or someone else. Similarly, everyone recognizes you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. Does this impact the way we all try to portray ourselves when we get dressed? How many people actually dress for themselves? But more importantly, why do we all care so much about what people think? This is something though that will probably never change. In my opinion everyone should dress how they want, if it makes them feel good, or because it is comfortable. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 13:33:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140997461 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140865826 There is a lot more to girls dressing up than to simply impress guys. Well for me anyway, it is not necessarily true of all women. I chose to answer this because I do care a lot about how I look and what I wear when I go out. One reason I dress up is not actually just for guy attention but for girls too. It is funny but lots of the times, girls dress up for girls. Girls are very harsh critics of each other, and appearance and fashion is one of the main sources they ‘compete’. Whether it is the need to be accepted into a certain group of people, or just generally, or even if it is to prove you are prettier or just as pretty as someone else. Yes, this may seem petty, but confidence and acceptance is a big thing for girls. Clothes and make up is a simple way they can try to boost their self esteem and likewise it is unfortunately used to shatter someone else’s. For me, believe it or not but one factor is simply for my own self and liking. I am not going to lie and say it is not for guys or not for girls, but it is significantly also for myself. I do feel good when I wear a nice dress, or a skirt and put on a pair of heels. I feel special because its not something I do often and it is fun. In terms of heels, I am a short girl so most people probably think I do it to appear taller. In fact, I simply have a shoe addiction. I love shoes and if I could I would wear them around school more often (if I would not get judged) because I just like the way they are. Nevertheless, I agree with Sam that lots of girls wear them because they think it makes their legs look nicer, or taller, or more attractive. In my opinion, those are not reasons you should wear them. Especially if you cannot walk in them and you do not even like them as they hurt too much. It is also interesting how culture plays a part. A lot of girls here do not tend to wear skirts or dresses unless they are going to a party. This is not the same in Europe, girls and women wear them everyday and night time as well. It just depends on how and what you wear it with. So, what some girls here wear to ‘dress up’ you may see people in Europe wearing during the day. This seems to show that for some cultures fashion is more about taste, or that some feel the need to ‘dress up’ and make an effort on more occasions. You could interpret this in various ways. For lots of girls it is a habit and norm now, like for me putting on makeup or a skirt does not necessarily feel like dressing up. This is because I feel like I need to do it anyways for myself and to feel comfortable. But this should not be the case to a certain extent. Lots of girls do find it frustrating sometimes if they spend a long time to get ready when all a guy does is shower and change tops; especially if there is no acknowledgement. I do wonder though apart from maybe a nice top, there is not much of a variety for guys and not much they can actually do or wear in comparison to women. Then again, they are not being asked to get dressed. In today’s society though, if a girl went out one night not dressed up, guys and girls would stare and judge because it has become such a cultural norm now. You can sometimes tell when a girl is dressing up for herself or someone else. Similarly, everyone recognizes you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. Does this impact the way we all try to portray ourselves when we get dressed? How many people actually dress for themselves? But more importantly, why do we all care so much about what people think? This is something though that will probably never change. In my opinion everyone should dress how they want, if it makes them feel good, or because it is comfortable. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 00:26:45 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140865826 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140859170 There is a lot more to girls dressing up than to simply impress guys. Well for me anyway, it is not necessarily true of all women. I chose to answer this because I do care a lot about how I look and what I wear when I go out. One reason I dress up is not actually just for guy attention but for girls too. It is funny but lots of the times, girls dress up for girls. Girls are very harsh critics of each other, and appearance and fashion is one of the main sources they ‘compete’. Whether it is the need to be accepted into a certain group of people, or just generally, or even if it is to prove you are prettier or just as pretty as someone else. Yes, this may seem petty, but confidence and acceptance is a big thing for girls. Clothes and make up is a simple way they can try to boost their self esteem and likewise it is unfortunately used to shatter someone else’s. For me, believe it or not but one factor is simply for my own self and liking. I am not going to lie and say it is not for guys or not for girls, but it is significantly also for myself. I do feel good when I wear a nice dress, or a skirt and put on a pair of heels. I feel special because its not something I do often and it is fun. In terms of heels, I am a short girl so most people probably think I do it to appear taller. In fact, I simply have a shoe addiction. I love shoes and if I could I would wear them around school more often (if I would not get judged) because I just like the way they are. Nevertheless, I agree with Sam that lots of girls wear them because they think it makes their legs look nicer, or taller, or more attractive. In my opinion, those are not reasons you should wear them. Especially if you cannot walk in them and you do not even like them as they hurt too much. It is also interesting how culture plays a part. A lot of girls here do not tend to wear skirts or dresses unless they are going to a party. This is not the same in Europe, girls and women wear them everyday and night time as well. It just depends on how and what you wear it with. So, what some girls here wear to ‘dress up’ you may see people in Europe wearing during the day. This seems to show that for some cultures fashion is more about taste, or that some feel the need to ‘dress up’ and make an effort on more occasions. You could interpret this in various ways. For lots of girls it is a habit and norm now, like for me putting on makeup or a skirt does not necessarily feel like dressing up. This is because I feel like I need to do it anyways for myself and to feel comfortable. But this should not be the case to a certain extent. Lots of girls do find it frustrating sometimes if they spend a long time to get ready when all a guy does is shower and change tops; especially if there is no acknowledgement. I do wonder though apart from maybe a nice top, there is not much of a variety for guys and not much they can actually do or wear in comparison to women. Then again, they are not being asked to get dressed. In today’s society though, if a girl went out one night not dressed up, guys and girls would stare and judge because it has become such a cultural norm now. You can sometimes tell when a girl is dressing up for herself or someone else. Similarly, everyone recognizes you can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. Does this impact the way we all try to portray ourselves when we get dressed? How many people actually dress for themselves? But more importantly, why do we all care so much about what people think? This is something though that will probably never change. In my opinion everyone should dress how they want, if it makes them feel good, or because it is comfortable. Thu, 7 Apr 2011 23:56:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/31/women-what-are-your-thoughts-on-dressing-up-while-men-dress-down-and-did-they-change-after-this-lecture-119-blog/#IDComment140859170 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment139210236 Of course it is hard to generalize as to why it is hard to date outside your own race, but there are some common factors that seem to appear. I am half Finnish and half Egyptian, two completely opposite cultures. If I were to date outside of my race I do not think my Finnish side would have much of an opinion or care about whom the person is. They would probably find it hard to communicate and would not necessarily know how to behave though. However, my Egyptian side is far more conservative and traditional. They are very religious and uphold certain standards and morals. To date someone of a different race or religion is therefore always a little bit of a struggle, but in the end they always realize that it should not really matter and as long as the person has a good personality and similar values it is fine. My cousin, for example, married a Korean woman. When she was first brought over everyone was friendly and kind but hesitant because her background is not familiar to us, and so they cannot ‘judge’ how she will be. Similarly, when my mother and father got married she had to be baptized into the religion. They did not enforce the belief system and religion on her for the rest of her life but it was a required and important step for them for marriage, so my mother complied. I feel like in my family if I brought home a white or Asian boy back to the family, he would be more accepted than if I would bring a black boy. This is probably because they are ‘used’ to the American white culture after living in America and also find some cultural connections to Asians. Otherwise, I do not understand why this would be. Personally, I don’t think it matters the race of the person. As for my family, the person would always be accepted but it may take time for them to get ‘used’ to the idea. Religion is not important to me either as long as there is mutual respect for each other’s beliefs and traditions. In my opinion, what matters more is the values the person upholds. I think this idea stems from a couple of things, religion, traditions, heritage, values and culture. Especially for the older generations, they want to continue their heritage and traditions. Also, I sense a tendency to pick someone like them because they are aware and have the same understanding. It is common and shared views, development and culture. Furthermore, for some cultures it could involve shame and honour-this seems particularly true of Asians. Religion can always be complicated, as you would have separate celebrations and beliefs. For some people this is important because they need the support and religion is a united often a family thing. It is funny though, just because someone is of a different race does not necessarily mean they have different values, religion etc. So, why do people have such a big problem with race? Fri, 1 Apr 2011 22:19:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/22/what-factors-in-your-race-make-it-difficult-to-date-outside-your-race-119-blog/#IDComment139210236 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/what-do-you-think-of-the-diversity-at-penn-state-119-blog/#IDComment137375621 I think everyone sees diversity differently; it depends on one’s background. If you come from a small suburb where everyone is of the same class, race etc Penn State will seem very diverse in comparison. Also perception can vary due to the interpretation of the word ‘diversity’. Many people may not know the diversity exists because we just group based on appearance. This reminds me of the early class example where the two girls had to sort out and group students based on where they are from. You cannot always tell where people are from etc. However, I went to an international high school, so you could say I am very used to seeing diversity. There were students of 70 other nationalities and half of the students were not of a British nationality. Honestly, I was not expecting huge diversity when I applied to Penn State because it is a state school, however, by the way the school advertises they made Penn State sound very broad, culturally diverse and diverse opportunities. Clearly, any university will try use such appeals but I was shocked at how little diversity I came across when I actually arrived. In comparison, I feel like for the size of Penn State there is not much diversity. Penn State is approximately 70% are Pennsylvanian residents. Certainly, this is not that surprising considering it is a state school. Personally, I do not think I experienced a lot of diversity since I have been here so far. The majority of my friends and the people I know all come from Pennsylvania and tend to come from similar high schools. This says a lot to me about the lack of immersion with other cultures and proves people just ‘stick’ to what they know and people they already know. I feel like the problem is also that the different races and nationalities do not mix very much, so it is hard to see the diversity. It is not spread; I guess you could say we are a ‘cliquey’ school. You will notice and spot the large groups of Asians that spend times together, the white group and the blacks. They even segregate themselves when it comes to fraternities and sororities. In my opinion I think we need to highlight and embrace the diversity more. There are always advertisements in the beginning of class and during class of Italian dinners, and different nationality clubs that are organizing events. This indeed exhibits to a better extent the diversity we hold. But it is not very well advertised, because aside from class I never hear about any of these types of events. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:33:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/18/what-do-you-think-of-the-diversity-at-penn-state-119-blog/#IDComment137375621 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/have-you-ever-felt-guilt-from-being-of-a-certain-race-119-blog/#IDComment135923710 Personally, growing up I have never felt particularly guilty about being ‘white’. To be frank, I never made big associations that if I ever got something or benefitted in a certain way that it was due to my race. I always had stronger connections to culture, given my family is so diverse in itself. So sometimes, I may feel guilty if one culture or country may prosper over another. There was one moment when I was young, whereby I experienced the sensation of guilt. I was playing with some friends, a white girl and a black girl, and we were going to go to her house to continue and then her mum would take us out. Before we went into the house, the white girl said, my mum doesn’t like black girls so she can’t come in. I was in utter shock. I never even noticed a difference between our skin colours before that moment. In my mind we were just having fun. At that moment when I had to tell the black girl she could no longer hang out with us due to her race, I was filled with immense guilt and remorse. It was not fair. Certainly, I have recognized white priviledge and it has definitely become more apparent as I have become older and after taking this class. Indeed, I do not find it fair how people are judged based on their race on a day-to-day basis, concerning matters that affect one’s lives. For example, if it can affect the likelihood of getting a job of pursuing a career. I’m sure I am not the only one to say that it should be based on ability and capability. We need to stop making assumptions and judgments. The problem is many races deliberately try to enforce guilt on other races to get their way. Often history can be used against the white, even though we were not the ones carrying out the deeds or would ever consider it; we still hold a sense of responsibility. As if we ‘owe’ another race and should feel guilty and still pay reparations. . In my opinion, life is not that way for the most part anymore and we should not be held to such actions, especially individuals who would never pursue such actions. This makes me wonder though, why would another race want that attitude held towards them. Personally, I hate feeling pity, because no matter what my race is I will try and do what I want and live as I want. Unfortunately, though as Sam has expressed this is not the case. I always used to refuse to believe this, to believe in the greater good, and that anyone can do or be what they want. It just comes from them. However, since this class I have realized that that is actually the small percentage of what’s needed in society, because you cannot control the actions or attitudes of others. I also wonder, to what extent other races feel such guilt referred to? Although it was directed to all races, I cannot help but feel as though this question was more focused on the white population. History haunts the white generation, and due to its significant impact, I fear there will not be a day that it is forgotten. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:29:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/15/have-you-ever-felt-guilt-from-being-of-a-certain-race-119-blog/#IDComment135923710 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/23/why-do-we-think-of-people-from-other-countries-as-so-different-from-us-119-blog/#IDComment131852536 As soon as I read this question, I knew I wanted to respond to it. It is a difficult question to answer, there is no doubt about that. But, I have had my own experiences since moving to America by which I can relate to. This question triggered a realization I never really thought about much before, but we actually experience everyday. As I am considered international, British and European, since that is where I spent most of my years growing up, I do even consider myself different. Nevertheless, when I came here everyone considered me as an ‘alien’. After all, I moved from England, it is not actually that different from America, I can understand if someone is from the Middle East, or South America, in other words a place that not much is known and the people are not very knowledgeable of. I was frequently questioned as to whether I know ‘this song’ (often referring to the most popular music of the time), or ‘this movie’. Some questions were simply ridiculous, in my opinion and I could not help but wonder where they thought I was from and why they thought it was like a whole new world. I am pretty sure at one point I was asked if they have “mustard where I come from”. ‘Where I come from’. Certainly, it is true there are many differences but there are also similarities. I cannot help but wonder, why we always focus on the differences and assume differences? Is it ignorance, or curiosity to deepen our knowledge and gain insight of the world? Regardless, one reason I think we assume difference is because each country has a distinct culture, this therefore affects the food we eat, lifestyle we live, our education system, music etc. So, with diverse customs, how can we not assume that people are different from ourselves if they are from a different country? Yet what we fail to notice are how similar our cultures can be too, and how similar we all think and feel. After all, we are all humans, from the same species and all desire the same freedoms and have similar goals in life. This was made apparent in our class where we saw an interview of the Muslim students. It is true that everyone immediately places stereotypes based on media and appearance, but we fail to recognize that actually we are not different at all. They expressed how it saddens them, the way we associate them with violence when in fact it is just a minority. The majority are like us, they enjoy partying, the same activities etc. All they want is to not be considered as I said before an ‘alien’ and have the worst expected. When one of the girls mentioned she was in fact a Pittsburgh resident and had lived there her entire life, many were stunned. This proves that we as a society also base differences on appearance. If someone looks ‘different’ to ourselves, we automatically assume they must be. I sometimes fall into this category. However, I feel as though I do not make as many assumptions and stereotypes as some others because I have a diverse background. But that is not to say I never do, because it seems to be human nature that we all assume, group and classify people. It is what we know and eliminates the possibility of the unknown. I feel as though it is important as a society to stop making assumptions and grouping people into ‘them’ and ‘us’, because after all if we spend time to get to know each other, like the Muslim girl in class mentioned, we will realize that there are not actually many differences between us. Wed, 2 Mar 2011 14:25:59 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/23/why-do-we-think-of-people-from-other-countries-as-so-different-from-us-119-blog/#IDComment131852536 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment130399370 I feel as though the main problem is that many people are unaware and disregard the way others live around the world. As human beings I think that we tend to be very egocentric, we only consider our needs, what we are missing and what there is to benefit us. On the other hand, we should be thinking in terms of society and others who need support around us because they cannot do it on their own. As Americans I feel like we are given many opportunities we just take for granted, maybe there would be less poverty in other places of the world if they were so lucky to have some of the options and possibilities we have. Many of us complain about the stress of college, or work, but at least we are able to do such things and be where we are because lots of people desire what we complain about. Even things as simple to us as food, is considered a luxury elsewhere. We spend the day thinking I wonder what I want for dinner? Should we go out to a restaurant? But we never stop to think of those who do not get but even a grain. Look at the vast options available to our society, and all you need to do is just travel and you will find kids drinking dirty water, living in huts with no heat, roof or equipment. After the way we live now, I doubt any American could even contemplate such a lifestyle. America has been known to be driven by economy and money. Almost everything is a business, and people are classified by how much they earn, where they live or went to school. The point is while we all compete for such titles and luxuries, we forget about others who need help. As Americans, we often look for bargains, but do we really need them? Or do we just want to ensure we still have as much money left in our pocket as possible. Would we, as Sam Richards pointed out, take into account where it in fact came from and how it was made? Indeed, there are the moments we all realize the need for charity and we are reminded of those less fortunate, and we try to donate and help as much as we can. At these times, I am sure many are filled with a sensation of remorse and guilt-I know I certainly do. But after the short amount of time we dedicate to others, we instantly seem to forget and restore back to our ‘normality’. What is normal to us, though, is in fact not ‘normal’ for a significant portion of the world. We can all make changes to try help others living in poverty. But one of the most important things I think needs to be changed is the state of mind and the way we think. The next time you go to complain about food, where you live, your work, just think of others across the world who would die to be in the position you are. Just a considerate thought is the beginning to change. Furthermore, I feel like as a nation we can be more active and can make significant improvements in the form of aid and money. The only problem is that in a country as large as the States it is harder to form organized effort and activities. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:43:00 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/17/how-do-you-feel-about-the-way-people-live-in-america-compared-to-other-places-around-the-world-119-blog/#IDComment130399370 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment128632518 The argument presented by Sam about free will and determinism got me thinking, to what extent are we free or do we just think we are free? When in fact we are not. Furthermore, are we not in fact free but ruled by determinism-our material conditions, and status? Personally, I never think it can be one or the other, and that they both play hand-in-hand. In my opinion you never solely decide to do something, there are always influencing factors. Similarly, the way you grew up and the type of conditions you are/were exposed to also shape the decisions you make and although you may feel that they are ‘free’ you have learned to think in such a way. The decision to come to Penn state was not completely based on free will. Nevertheless, I had the opportunity to study in an English University. It would have been cheaper, closer to home, and within the same education system I had studied my whole life. However, I decided to also apply to America because I did not want to make the choice of my future career that was required of English Universities. I did not expect to receive offers from both universities; hence it made my decision even harder. I must admit though that I was also influenced and slightly pressured by some of my American family members to come to the States, so I would be closer. Although, I had two different pressures for either option, the decision in the end was ultimately mine. Indeed, I took the opinions and factors into consideration, but in the end I had to be at a place I knew I would enjoy and could see myself. Determinism also was a contributing factor in my decision considering that I come from a stable, middle-class background. I was able to afford the tuition and lots of the extra costs of the school, without feeling the pressure to have to work full time in addition to studying. Also, you could say it was expected of me to attend university-not necessarily which one. Both my parents went to university and received a degree; furthermore all my older cousins went to university to pursue careers in medicine or law. I can certainly say that, although all members of my family are pursuing degrees in law or medicine, I made the choice that this was not the path for me and to search for my own degree and career. While being at Penn State, we are surrounded by opportunities that test free will and determinism. How much will you study? Will you go out in the evenings? Will you join a sorority or group? Which ones and why? Little do we realize though, what drives us to make the decisions we do. Personally, I do not want to say I have always felt free will to do what I want. If my friends want to go to eat in a certain place, or go out for the night and more. However, there are specific standards to which my free-will will always be superior. I would never be persuaded to do something I did not want to, or felt was wrong. Specifically, I refused to join a sorority and I chose to succeed in my classes. Therefore, I spend the time I need to working and studying because I know in the end the result I receive is down to what I put in and the decisions I made. This could also be seen as determinism as my family is known to be very hard-working, striving to achieve our best. In addition, I joined a group called Amnesty International, this was a combination of free will and determinism. I chose to join because human rights, in my opinion, are very important and I agree with the issues and topics raised and feel the need to create awareness. Still, this passion and view has stemmed from my father who was always actively involved in student affairs, and political issues. Ultimately, I cannot lean to one or the other. Both have influenced decisions in my life and will continue to influence my decisions. Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:24:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/08/how-have-the-choices-youve-made-and-determinism-affected-your-life-119-blog/#IDComment128632518 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/03/do-you-think-race-can-stop-being-an-issue-in-the-future-119-blog/#IDComment126989596 Unfortunately, I do not think so. As much as I hate to say it, I feel like it would be unrealistic to say it would stop being an issue. It is the terrible truth. Indeed, we have made significant progression in the past and will most likely continue to progress in the future. But in my opinion because it has been so prominent in the past, and an ongoing battle, it is something that will never escape us. People hold on to the past and memories, and there are always some people who still believe the same way and adopt ‘old fashioned’ perspectives. You cannot force people to think and behave a certain way. All it takes are those few people that will keep it present. As terrible as it sounds it has become like a ‘second reaction’, a subconscious thought, or even habit. I feel like we live in a ‘glass ceiling’, we can see the improvement we want to and try to change, but there will always be something that gets in the way, an opinion that will not change, inequality in the work etc. Nevertheless, I still think we can improve current situations that would make many more lives enjoyable. Even today, with equal rights and the development made, race and racial issues or problems occurs on an everyday basis. Many people still create judgments, segregate certain people in their mind and adopt stereotypes. It is sure to say we have all probably done this at some point in our lives, whether it is something as small as seeing a group of ‘black’ guys walking toward you so you avoid eye contact, maybe walk faster and try to go unnoticed. For all we know they could have been the nicest guys, but through media and stereotypes we assume and take precautions in unfamiliar situations. If race was still not such a big issue, why did it cause so much issue with the election of Obama? It’s terrible that an intelligent man is not necessarily being heard for his policies but for the colour of his skin. I understand that it is a significant moment in history and considering the past, and shows immense improvement. But, when you look at it I wonder how many people voted for him just because he was black, and how many people did not vote for him because he is black. By having him as a president, however, it shows a deliberate step forward and recognition that there are more important issues in the world. He will be a good role model for the future generations. I agree that classes like this should become more worldwide, we all should be able to discuss openly about such topics. The fact that many students want to do this and find out reasons we still have racial issues is promising. But, it does take more than one class; it should be adopted in other universities, countries and maybe even high schools. Educate students when they are young, so they are less likely to succumb and acquire such stereotypes at a young age and utilize them. Unless deliberate efforts are made, breaking racial issues will not evaporate. I even feel that unless people stop making simple comments using white, and black, no matter the context it shows that it is something that people still notice and take into account. I hope one-day race is no longer an issue. It needn’t be. But I fear it will be around for a long time. Wed, 9 Feb 2011 21:53:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/03/do-you-think-race-can-stop-being-an-issue-in-the-future-119-blog/#IDComment126989596 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/why-do-we-associate-with-people-of-the-same-race-and-ethnicity-as-ourselves-119-blog/#IDComment124719297 Firstly, I would just like to respond to a statement made about international students. It is not completely true that all international students spend time together. Equally, I am not saying they do not at all. The reason for this is because other international students can relate to the same experience-a new culture, education, being far from home. Also, they are asked to meet each other prior to the arrival of Americans, so friendships already start to develop. To know someone knows how you feel will often help instigate a bond. However, I am international and on the contrary the majority of my friends that I spend time with are in fact American, more specifically locals. I rarely find myself among other international students. Certainly, it can be generalized that the majority will associate with people of the same race or ethnicity. But we must remember that this is not always the case. Regardless, in my opinion the reason for this is because people like to associate with others who share the same views, beliefs, morals, and have a mutual understanding of accepted behaviour. It is easier to relate to someone who is going through the same thing as you, for example if you are an indigenous person you will have a lot to talk about and share with someone else who is also indigenous as you would have mutual and shared grievances or experiences. Lots of people like familiarity, something they can share with people, a sort of common ground. This is especially the case in unfamiliar environments, and relates to why lots of international students stick together. It gives a sense of belonging and security. Consequently, it is no real surprise that culture and history takes a large role. Pride, therefore, is also a factor to take into account. I think it is easier to associate with those like you, we all fall into this, ‘like chooses like’- a homogeneous attitude. I also learnt this in criminology; someone is more likely to choose a partner in crime who is ‘like’ himself/herself. This will be because it creates a sense of trust and assumption that because they are of the same race/ethnicity they will have similar abilities, morals, and thus know what to expect. This can be false though, because not all people from the same race or ethnicity are the same-thoughtless categorization. People of the same ethnicity are more likely to be raised in a similar way, more so than ones from differing ethnicities. Subsequently, they will have shared accepted views on religion, behaviour, dress sense, food, traditions etc. Many simply do not know how to translate to a different race or ethnicity, creating ‘awkward’ moments. What is accepted? What is considered rude? For example, something as simple as greeting varies across different ethnicities. From personal experience, in Finland when I visit my family, we merely hug or shake hands. However, when I visit my Egyptian family it is customary to give a kiss on each cheek. When you have grown up in a certain way, it is easy to find yourself in a ‘rut’, and continuing such activities or behaviours. However, I think it is important for our society to branch out and experience other cultures, and share different customs. Otherwise we fall into a trap of ignorance, and the sensation of superiority may appear. Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:46:09 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/26/why-do-we-associate-with-people-of-the-same-race-and-ethnicity-as-ourselves-119-blog/#IDComment124719297 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/18/what-do-you-think-blog-2/#IDComment123754376 Is this just another form of stereotyping? Personally, I found this activity fascinating. It really helped put the concept of race and classification into perspective by placing people in the difficult task to group individuals according to appearance. Everyone always presumes they can figure out people’s ethnicities. Indeed, this activity showed otherwise. I believe this was a provocative and daring activity, considering it may have caused offence. There has been discussion as to whether or not this is a provocative issue. If everyone was comfortable in this situation and there were no race issues, this activity should not be considered provocative. Nevertheless, I feel as though these types of lessons are necessary to emphasize and highlight the fact that we do not have a good understanding of ethnicities and need to learn to not assume. Its interesting that one of the best ways to illustrate how we are at fault and what we should not be doing is by, in fact, asking us to make such classifications and judgments. This helps enforce and prove we do have stereotypes and that you should never assume. The fact that he specifically tried to find older students with a GPA of 4.0 was fascinating. Certainly, it was an attempt to show that the level of intelligence does not matter as everyone can fall into the trap of false assumptions and stereotyping. I felt anxious for the categorizers myself, as I would hate to offend someone and have to ‘group’ people. After all, we should not be grouping people. I never realized how little we are educated about such topics, and how easily we see skin colour and jump to assumptions that people are of the same ethnicity. I also noticed how we still even tend to just initially assume certain groups. Just because someone has dark skin, does not mean they are black. Similarly, because they have light skin, does not mean they are white. Also, there are many different types of Asians, many of which you would never initially consider. Does it say something about our society that we cannot identify each other’s cultural background? Or does this show that in reality, it is not important and should not be important, where someone comes from? I could not help but wonder, should everyone be educated to know the different ethnicities, reasons for certain features and characteristics. Or will it be redundant. Are we all programmed to make assumptions? If anything we should all learn to appreciate individuality, to not make presumptions, and to learn more about ethnicities around the globe. For me, this activity and class certainly highlighted the importance of our ancestry and everyone’s individuality and uniqueness. There is never a simple answer and we are never solely one feature, or characteristic. Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:21:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/18/what-do-you-think-blog-2/#IDComment123754376 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/14/why-do-we-still-have-stereotypes-blog-1/#IDComment122621914 In a modern day society like ours, how is it that people can still believe for example that women are supposed to cook and be homemakers for example? So, if we wanted to get rid of stereotypes should we not look to its origin? This causes a lot of difficulty and probably controversy. Nevertheless, in my opinion a strong factor in the adoption of stereotypes comes from fear of unknown groups, ignorance and ultimately, attempt to demoralize others to gain a sense of superiority and knowledge. Stereotypes are often adopted in an occasion when we are unable to access information about someone or a group to make fair judgments. Over the years our society has created and continued stereotypes, which result in prejudice. Although we have come to recognize our faults, its existence still perseveres through the subconscious. We all automatically make pre-judgments of people based on appearance, origin, religious beliefs etc. Humans have a tendency to find it difficult to break and deviate from ‘bad habits’. For example, my friend was telling me about an incident where he was with his friend one time and he refused to pay extra money for an item. This prompted my friend to say, “What do you expect? He is Jewish”. I could not help but think, why would you go for Jewish? He is a poor student like us. He may be saving money for something. How could he jump to the assumption it must be because he is Jewish? Furthermore, an example of stereotyping based on location/origin often happens in my mum’s situation. My mum is from Finland; she is loud, bubbly and has brown hair. So, whenever someone asks her where she is from and she says Finland she always gets the same shocked reaction. ‘But you do not have blonde hair, blue eyes and are shy and quiet’. This always makes my mum laugh, and I find it strange myself, as all the Finnish people we know do not fit this stereotype at all. People also fail to realize that although one person may actually fit into this image, there is a vast majority that do not. Long-term roots have provided paths for the development of further judgment. It has become a bad, repeated and learnt habit over the course of history. Stereotypes seem to have been passed down by generations. We now thoughtlessly make automatic assumptions about people, based on what we have been taught or heard. As a child, we question our parents about everything and everyone. Consequently, adults who still either believe in stereotypes or not pass such views onto their children. You grow up believing that is the truth and reality, as ‘parents are always right’ in your eyes. Additionally, we tend to adopt certain attitudes from friends in social situations. There are messages favourable and unfavourable to certain groups and attitudes can be thoughtlessly adopted on the assumption that because the majority thinks this way it must be true. People refuse to think for themselves and question the legitimacy of the comments by others. Therefore, stereotypes will never be able to completely disappear. The media is another crucial role. Newspapers, tv, music, movies can all unthinkingly promote or actuate stereotypes, which is then passed on to its viewers and the general public. Of course, the media is not completely to blame as the audience must process, recognize and accept the information themselves. Regardless, with constant attitudes and portrayals of ‘dumb blondes’, the housewife, smart mathematical Asians etc. Nevertheless, I still believe stereotypes would exist even if it were not a part of media. Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:32:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/14/why-do-we-still-have-stereotypes-blog-1/#IDComment122621914 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cr%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120819280 Soc 119 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:40:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cr%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120819280